1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an insole for a shoe, more particularly to an insole having a heel cavity, an arch cavity and a metatarsal cavity and interconnecting channels formed in at least one of the base and top panels which are sealed together around the periphery of the cavities and channels to form a sealed flow path. Fluid is contained within the cavities and channels and a one-way flow valve operatively associated with each interconnecting channels constrains the fluid to flow in a direction from the heel cavity to the arch cavity to the metatarsal cavity to the heel c. The bottom surface of the base panel may have an open-bottomed pump cavity adjacent the heel end, an open-bottomed channel extended forwardly from the pump cavity and a plurality of vent holes through the insole and in fluid communication with the open-bottomed channel such that, upon compression of the heel cavity when a wearer steps onto his or her heel, air is pumped forwardly through the open-bottomed channel and vent-holes to ventilate a wearers foot.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Cushioned insoles for shoes have long been know both as permanent shoe insoles and as insole inserts for added comfort for a wearers feet. The effect of such inserts, however is limited to cushioning in a single vertical direction. Fluid filled chambers interconnected by valved channels have previously been provided in footwear such as disclosed in Cole et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,986 but that invention required unacceptable appearance altering changes to the heel and sole portion of the shoe. Neither of these types of shoe improvements afforded any positive ventilation of the foot within a shoe.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved insole for a shoe which affords a three dimensional massaging action for the foot of a wearer.
Another object is to provide an improved insole which affords both the three-dimensional massaging action for the foot of a wearer and positive ventilation for the wearers foot.
Another object is to provide an improved insole which is maintenance free.
Another object is to provide an improved insole which is simple and rugged instruction, economical to manufacture and efficient in operation.